Fire-escape.



J. DODDS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. so. 1905.

'PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

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No. 825,524. PATENTED JULY 10, 1906. J. DODDS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1905.

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PATENTED JULY 10, 1906. J. DODDS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30. 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ZPatenteol July 10, 1906.

Application filed September 30,19Q5. Serial No. 280,743-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Donns, of Calgary, in the Province of Alberta and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to a fire-escape com prising an elevator-frame, two parallel shafts j ournaled at opposite ends thereof, sprocketwheels mounted on said shafts and arranged in oppositely-disposed pairs, sprocket-chains traveling'around said sprocket-Wheels, guideways to prevent the swaying of the sprocketchains as they travel between the sprocketwheels, platforms carried by the sprocketchains, a governor to regulate the traveling speed of the chains as the platforms descend with their loads, and a chute hinged to the elevator-frame and provided with counterbalancing means, as hereinafter more fully set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fireescape. Fig. 2 is a view of the 'overnor and friction-strap for the brake-wheel. Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the sprocket-wheels, a portion of one of the spro cket-chains, and two pl atforms, showing the descending and ascending positions of the platforn1-sections as the sprocket-chains travel around the sprocketwheels. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the platforms, showing the construction of the platformsections and the means by which they are connected together. Fi 5 is a side elevation of the lower end of the Freescape, showing the chute in a horizontal posi tion; and Fig. 6 is a view of the same parts shown in Fig. 5, but showing the chute in an inclined position.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

At the top and bottom of the elevatorframe a, which is preferably constructed of metal and located either inside or outside the building-walls, are bearings b and c, in which are journaled parallel sprocket-wheel shafts d and e. Mounted on the shafts d and e are sprocket-wheels f and 9, arran ed in oppositely-disposed pairs so that chains h, passing around them, may travel in substantially parallel planes.

the sprocket- Carried by the sprocket-chains h are platforms consisting of platform-sections e, securely fastened to the links of the sprocketchains h, and other platform-sections i, con-.

nected to the platform-sections 1'. by hinge members During the descent of the platforms the platform-sections i assume by gravity a horizontal position in the same plane as the platform-sections i and are maintained in that position by the engagement of the arms 7c, connected to them with the resistingpieces Z, connected to the platform-sections 1;. When the platforms reach the end of their descent, the platform-sections i, assume:

by gravity and maintain a position at substantially right angles to the platform-sections 0', until the platforms have attained the end of their ascent. During the descent of the platforms the sprocket-chains are caused to travel around the sprocket-wheels and revolve the sprocket-wheel shafts, and this motion is transmitted from the sprocket-wheel shaft 01 to a counter-shaft 0 by sprocketwheels 10 and g and a sprocket-chain 1' and from the counter-shaft 0 to the governorshafts by-similarsprocket-wheels t and u and sprocket-chain o, the relative sizes being such as to greatly increase the speed of the revolution of the governor-shaft over that of the sprocket-wheel shaft d.

The revolution of the governor-shaft causes tween the sprocket-wheels, jointed stays d are connected to them and to the sprocketchains above and below the platforms, so that the platform-sections twill be prevented from tilting in either direction from their normal or horizontal plane, the jointed stays d k automatically extending and contracting when following the curvature of the sprockete chains as they pass around the sprocket-, wheels. The elevator frame is provided with chain-guides m to maintain the sprocket-.

chains in a fixed path as they descend from the sprocket-wheels f to thesprocket-w-heels g by preventing them swaying'iunder theload! chains to revolve the sprocket-wheels and" sprocket wh'eel shafts, and during the revolution of the latter motion istransmitted by thesprocket-chain-r from" the sprocket-wheel shaft (1' to the counter' shaft-oy and from the counter-shaft 0 by thesprocket-chain 'v to the governor-shaft s, the relative diame ters of the-sprocket-wheels being such} as to cause thegovernonshaft to revolveatahigher rate of speed than the sprocket-wheel shafts andrapidly revolve the governor'- arms a. The'revolution ofthe governor arms-a actu"-- ates-the sliding governonheadw, and the governor-head'w asit rises" and falls causes the link mto'actuate the crank y and rock the shaft z'in its bearingsz". ThBfIQCkilIlg 'ofthe' shaft 2 causes the crank z" "'to'= draw the friction band b again's tor release itfrom therim of the" frictionzlpulley" c", and thuscontrol its revolution an the platform. When the platforms reach the end of" their descent, the platfornvsec tions i move gravity into a positionatsubstantially right angles to the platformsections '01, so that a saving of the depth of space r'equired for the fire-escape can be effected: by an amount equal to-the' width of the platform-sections t". The pl atform=sece tionsi 'maintain their vertical positionuntil the platform sectionsr t have passed over the top of the sprocket-wheelsf-and commenced.

their descent, when they automatically return by gravity to a substantially horizontal turn it to its normal position when freed therefrom. I

Having thus" fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is p I 1. A- fire es cape co mprising an elevator-' frame, parallel shafts j'ournjaled therein, sprocketewheelsmountedon said-Shafts alined in oppositely-disposed pair's, sprocket-chains travelin'g'around' said sprc ketwh els, platforms carried'by the sprocket-chains, guide= I that of the sprocketwheel shaft d toregul'ate the speed ofthe'd escent-of" ways to -maintain the sprocket-chains in a Jfixed path during the descent of the platforms, a governor, a governor-shaft, a counter-shaft, means for transmitting motion from one of the sprocket-wheel shafts to the counter-shaft and from the counter-shaft to the governor-shaft, a sliding governor-head, a rock shaft connected with and actuated by the sliding governor-head, a friction-Wheel for said last-mentioned sprocket wheel shaft and a brake band embracing the frictionwheel and connected with therock-shaft.

2'. A fire escape compri'singanelevaton frame, parallel shafts journal'ed therein, sprocket wheels mountedon'said shafts alined' in oppositely-disposedpairs, sprocket-chains traveling around 'said sprocket-wheels, pl'atforms carried by, the sprocket-chains; guide ways tomaintain the SprOcket-chainsin a fixed path during-thedescent of thepl-atforms a governor, motiontransmissitnr-means for the governorand one-of the sprocket wheel shafts; abraking mechanism acting directly'on said sprocket wheel shaft actuated by. the operation of" the governor; achute hingedto the elevator-frame;- and a counterbalancing means to normally support the chutein asubstantially horizontal position.

3 A fire-escape'comprising' an elevator-- frame parallel shafts journal'e'd therein, sprocket' 'wheels mountedonsaid shaftsalined in oppositely-disposed pairs, sprocketchains'trav'elingaround saidsprocket-wheels,

platforms carried by the sprocket-chains guideways to maintain the sprocket-chains in a fixed path during the descent ofthe platforms,agovernor,,motion tra-nsmission'means for the governor and'one' of the sprocketwheel shafts, a braking mechanism for said sprocket-wheel shaft actuated-by the opera= tion ofthe governorconsisting ofa-fricticirpulley mounted 'upon' the" sprocket -w-heel shaft, a brake -ban'd embracing thefiiction pulley positioned by theoperation of the governor, a chute hinged to the elevator= frame and a counterbalancing means tonor mally supportthe chute in a substantially horizontal position;

4-; A- fire-escape comprising an elevator' frame, parallel shafts jcurnale'd I therein, sprocketwheels mounted onsaid shafts ali'nediir oppositely disposed pairs, sprocketcha'ins traveling around said sprocket-wheels; platforms carriedbythe sprocket-chains, gui'd eway's to maintain the sprocket-chains in a fixed path duringthe descent of the platforms, a governor, motion-transmission means for the governor, and oneof" the spin cket-wheel shafts, abraking mechanism for said-'sproclc et-wheel shaft-actuated hy the operation of the governor consisting of afric" tiion pul-ley'mounted-up on the sprocket wheel' shaft, a friction-band embracing" the friction pulley, a rock shaft to which the frictionband is connected, a connecting; means 08-" tween the rock-shaft and governor, a chute hinged to the elevator-frame and a counterbalancing means to normally support the chute in a substantially horizontal position.

5. A fire-escape comprising an elevatorframe parallel shafts journaled therein, sprocket-Wheels mounted on said shafts alined in oppositely-disposed pairs, sprocketchains traveling around said sprocket-Wheels, platforms consisting of platform-sections fastened to the sprocket-chains and other platform-sections lnnged'to the first-mentioned platform-sections, resisting-pieces connected to the first-mentioned platform-sections and arms connected to the last-mentioned platform-sections to engage said resisting-pieces and hold the hinged platform-sections in substantially the same plane as the others during the descent of the platforms, guideways to maintain the sprocket-chains in a fixed path during the descent of the platforms, a governor, motion-transmission means for the governor and one of the sprocket-Wheel shafts and a braking mechanism acting directly on said sprocket-Wheel shaft actuated by the operation of the governor.

6. A fire-escape comprising an elevatorframe parallel shafts journaled therein, sprocket-wheels mounted on said shafts alined in oppositely-disposed pairs, sprocketchains traveling around said sprocket-Wheels, platforms consisting of platform-sections fastened to the sprocket-chains and other platform-sections hinged to the first-mentioned platform-sections resisting-pieces connected to the first-mentioned platform-sections and arms connected to the last-mentioned platform-sections to engage said resisting-pieces and hold the hinged platform-sections in substantially the same plane as the others during the descent of the platforms, guideways to maintain the sprocket-chains in a fixed path during the descent of the platforms, a governor, motion-transmission means for the governor and one of the sprocket-Wheel shafts a braking mechanism, for said sprocket-Wheel shaft actuated by the operation of the governor, consisting of a friction-pulley mounted upon the sprocket-Wheel shaft and a brakeband embracing the friction-pulley positioned by the operation of the governor.

7. A fire-escape comprising an elevatorframe, parallel shafts journaled therein, sprocket-Wheels mounted on said shafts alined in oppositely-disposed pairs, sprocketchains traveling around said sprocket-Wheels, platforms consisting of platform-sections fastened to the sprocket-chains and other plat form-sections hinged to the first-mentioned platform-sections resisting-pieces connected to the first-mentioned platform-sections and arms connected to the last-mentioned platform-section to engage said resisting-pieces and hold the hinged platform-sections in substantially the same plane as the others during the descent of the platforms, guideways to maintain the sprocket-chains in a fixed path during the descent of the platforms, a governor, motion-transmission means for the governor and one of the sprocket-Wheel shafts, a braking mechanism for said sprocket- Wheel shaft actuated by the operation of the governor consisting of a friction pulley mounted upon the sprocket-Wheel shaft a friction-band embracing the friction-pulley, a rock-shaft to which the friction-band is connected and a connecting means between the rock-shaft and governor.

8. A fire-escape comprising an elevatorframe parallel shafts journaled therein, sprocket-Wheels mounted on said shafts alined in oppositely-disposed pairs, sprocketchains traveling around said sprocket-Wheels, platforms consisting of platform-sections fastened to the sprocket-chains and other platform-sections hinged to the first-mentioned platform-sections resisting-pieces connected to the first-mentioned platform-sections and arms connected to the last-mentioned platform-sections to engage said resisting-pieces and hold the hinged platform-sections in substantially the same plane as the others during the descent of the platforms, guideways to maintain the sprocket-chains in a fixedpath during the descent of the platforms, a governor, motion-transmission means for the governor and one of the sprocket-Wheel shafts a braking mechanism acting directlyon said sprocket-Wheel shaft actuated by the operation of the governor, a chute hinged to the elevator-frame,and a counterbalancing means to normally support the chute in a substantially horizontal position. Toronto, September 12, A. D. 1905.

JOHN DODDS.

In presence of- CHAS. H. RIoHEs,

H. L. TRIMBLE. 

